Rotary pump exhibiting an adjustable delivery volume, in particular for adjusting a coolant pump

ABSTRACT

An adjustable delivery volume rotary pump, including: first and second housing structures; a delivery chamber comprising a first chamber wall formed by the first housing structure, a second chamber wall formed by the second housing structure, a fluid inlet in a low-pressure region and a fluid outlet in a high pressure region; a pump wheel rotatable about a rotational axis in the delivery chamber; and a pressing device for generating pressing force. The second housing structure can be moved relative to the first housing structure from a first to a second position, against the pressing force. In the second position, a gap exists between the first and the second chamber walls and fluid can escape from the delivery chamber by bypassing the inlet and the outlet, or a circulation of the fluid which reduces the delivery rate of the rotary pump arises in the gap within the delivery chamber.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This applications claim priority to German Patent Application No. 102012 214 503.6, filed Aug. 14, 2012, the contents of such applicationbeing incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a rotary pump which can be adjusted in terms ofits delivery volume. The rotary pump can be part of a pump arrangementand can in particular serve as a servo pump for a working pump, in orderfor example to feed fluid to the working pump, i.e. to serve as itspre-loading pump, or to adjust an operational parameter of the workingpump, for example its delivery volume. In combination with a workingpump, it can form a coolant pump and serve to fluidically adjust thedelivery volume of the working pump. One preferred area of applicationis in vehicle construction. The rotary pump or the combination of therotary pump and the working pump can in particular be used to supply aunit, such as for example a combustion engine for driving a vehicle,with a fluid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Developments in internal combustion engines for motor vehicles focus onreducing exhaust emissions and fuel consumption. One approach forreducing fuel consumption and emissions is to adapt the operation of thevarious ancillary units, which for example include the coolant pump orlubricating oil pump, more precisely to the requirements of the engine.In the case of coolant pumps, which are a preferred use of the rotarypump, these efforts are aimed at more rapidly heating the enginefollowing a cold start and at reducing the operational rate needed forthe coolant pump, in particular at a high rotational speed of theengine. Mass-produced designs such as electrically driven coolant pumpsand switchable friction roller drives make considering otheralternatives seem worthwhile with regard to cost and reliability. Thesplit ring slider represents an approach, which has been known fordecades, for influencing the delivery characteristics of turbines aswell as compressors and pumps having a radial design, wherein an annularslider which encompasses the feed wheel of the pump on the outercircumference is axially shifted, forming an annular gap, and the flowcross-section on the outer circumference of the feed wheel is thusvaried. The annular slider acts as a shutter in the outflow region ofthe feed wheel.

The volume of fluid delivered by rotary pumps per unit time, referred toin the following as the delivery volume, changes with the rotationalspeed of the pump. In displacement-type rotary pumps, the deliveryvolume is proportional to the rotational speed of the pump, since suchpumps exhibit a constant specific delivery volume, at least in therotational speed range which is relevant for practical purposes.“Specific delivery volume” refers to the volume of fluid delivered perrevolution. Fluid-flow machines such as for example centrifugal pumps donot have this proportionality; the delivery volume even increasesdisproportionally with respect to the rotational speed. If the rotarypump is rotary-driven by a combustion engine in a fixed rotational speedrelationship to an output shaft of the combustion engine, for example acrankshaft, as is the case in preferred uses, the proportionality or inprinciple the dependency between the delivery volume and the rotationalspeed can be disruptive in particular rotational speed ranges of thecombustion engine. Thus, for example, beyond a rotational speed of theengine of about 2000 rpm, lubricating oil pumps for supplying drivemotors of motor vehicles deliver more lubricating oil than is requiredfor lubricating the combustion engine. Coolant pumps, which in mostapplications are embodied as centrifugal pumps, show similarcharacteristics. If the respective pump delivers more fluid than isactually needed, energy for driving the pump is wasted. Undesirableside-effects can also occur. In the case of lubricating oil pumps, forexample, delivering too much lubricating oil can cause the crankshaft toflounder in the lubricating oil, thus creating further losses. Thedelivered fluid which is surplus to requirement can for example beconveyed back into the fluid reservoir via a bypass, although thisneedlessly consumes drive energy for the pump.

In order to better adapt the delivery volume of rotary pumps torequirements, rotary pumps which can be adjusted, for example merelycontrolled or also regulated, in terms of delivery volume have beendeveloped. Thus, for example, EP 1 363 025 B1, which is incorporated byreference, describes toothed wheel pumps which can be regulated. A vanecell pump which can be regulated is for example known from DE 10 2010009 839 A1, which is incorporated by reference.

EP 2 489 881 A2, which is incorporated by reference, discloses acentrifugal pump which has a radial design and can be regulated, and itsuse as a coolant pump. The centrifugal pump comprises a radial feedwheel for delivering the working fluid, which can in particular serve asa coolant for a combustion engine, and also a servo pump for fluidicallyadjusting a setting structure which, when adjusted, alters the deliveryvolume of the centrifugal pump. The servo pump is embodied as a rotarypump and co-operates with a control valve via which the fluid deliveredby the servo pump is applied to the setting structure. Above a lowerrotational speed range, the delivery volume of the servo pump is highenough that the volume flow cannot flow quickly enough through thecontrol valve when the valve is open, and a back-pressure can thereforebe created which acts undesirably on the setting structure. In order toprevent this, a pressure limiter via which fluid can flow back into thecycle is provided downstream of the outlet of the servo pump. Thiscorresponds to the bypass solution mentioned at the beginning.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an aspect of the invention to provide a rotary pump which can beadjusted in terms of its delivery volume but is nonetheless simple inits design and cheap, and which is also constructed to small dimensionsand can therefore be arranged even in conditions of restricted space.

An aspect of the invention proceeds from a rotary pump which exhibits anadjustable delivery volume and comprises a housing including a firsthousing structure and a second housing structure and optionally one ormore other housing structures, and also a delivery chamber and at leastone pump wheel which can be rotated in the delivery chamber about arotational axis. When it is rotary-driven, the pump wheel alone oroptionally the pump wheel together with one or more other pump wheelsdelivers a fluid from an inlet, which leads into the delivery chamber,to an outlet which leads out of the delivery chamber. The inlet portsinto a low-pressure region of the delivery chamber, and the outlet portsinto a high-pressure region of the delivery chamber. The housingstructures form chamber walls of the delivery chamber, the first housingstructure forming a first chamber wall and the second housing structureforming a second chamber wall.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the second housingstructure can be moved relative to the first housing structure from afirst position into a second position, against a restoring pressingforce. The rotary pump therefore also comprises a pressing device forgenerating the pressing force. In the second position, a gap existsbetween the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall and opens oropens further in the event of movement towards the second position. Infirst embodiments, the gap opens into an environment of the housing,such that in the second position, fluid can escape from the deliverychamber by bypassing the inlet and the outlet and at least some of thefluid flowing through the inlet into the delivery chamber is not evendelivered as far as the outlet by means of the pump wheel but can ratherflow off through the gap on the path between the inlet and the outlet.In second embodiments, the gap is an internal gap within the deliverychamber, such that fluid does not escape through the gap into theenvironment of the housing but is merely circulated in the deliverychamber. A lower delivery rate per unit time has to be applied for thepart of the fluid which merely circulates in the delivery chamber thanfor the part of the fluid which flows through the delivery chamber andthe outlet. The gap which is in this sense an internal gap thuscirculates the fluid within the delivery chamber in a way which reducesthe delivery rate. The internal gap can in particular be formed on anend-facing side of the pump wheel, by enlarging a gap—which existsbetween the pump wheel and the second chamber wall, even when the secondhousing structure is in the first position—through a movement towardsthe second position. If the second housing structure assumes the firstposition, the delivery chamber can advantageously be closed off in aseal, aside from the inlet and the outlet and unavoidable leaks, and thefirst position can correspondingly be a closing position of the secondhousing structure.

Unlike simple embodiments of known adjusting pumps, which channeldelivered fluid which is surplus to requirement back into a reservoirvia a bypass downstream of the outlet, this saves on the drive rate forthe pump, since the rotary pump only has to deliver a comparatively lowvolume flow against the fluid pressure prevailing at the outlet, whenthe second housing structure is in the second position. A bypass valvefor channelling away excess delivered fluid is not needed. The adjustingmechanism formed by means of the second housing structure and thepressing device can have a comparatively compact design exhibiting smalldimensions, which makes it easier or even only then possible to arrangethe rotary pump in restricted installation spaces.

The second chamber wall formed by the second housing structure can be acircumferential wall or a partial region of a circumferential wall ofthe delivery chamber. In preferred embodiments, the second chamber wallis an end-facing wall or a partial region of an end-facing wall of thedelivery chamber. The second housing structure can advantageously be ahousing cover which closes off the delivery chamber on one end-facingside.

The first housing structure can form a circumferential wall or a partialregion of a circumferential wall of the delivery chamber. It preferablyforms a circumferential wall and a base of the delivery chamber whichaxially faces the second chamber wall on the other side of the deliverychamber, i.e. another end-facing wall. A plurality of housing structureswhich are formed separately from each other, including the first housingstructure, can also be joined to each other in order to surround thedelivery chamber over its circumference and on one end-facing side. Saidhousing cover can also in principle be assembled from a plurality ofhousing structures which are formed separately from each other,including the second housing structure, i.e. the second housingstructure can form a partial region of a housing cover only. In ahousing cover assembled from a plurality of housing structures, thesecond housing structure can also be able to be moved relative to atleast one of the other housing structures which form the assembledhousing cover, in order to realise the mobility in accordance with theinvention.

The second chamber wall can in particular extend in the low-pressureregion of the delivery chamber, for example only in a chamber regionwhich extends from the inlet towards the outlet but not as far as theoutlet. In such embodiments, the second chamber wall also need notextend as far as the inlet, but can rather respectively exhibit adistance from both the outlet and the inlet in the rotational directionof the pump wheel and/or counter to the rotational direction. Inpreferred embodiments, however, the inlet ports into the deliverychamber in the region of the second chamber wall.

The second housing structure can in principle form the outlet of thedelivery chamber; more preferably, however, it forms the inlet. Thesecond chamber wall can then be an end-facing wall of the deliverychamber, and the inlet can port into the delivery chamber on thisend-facing wall. The outlet can in particular port into the deliverychamber on another, axially opposite end-facing wall, or in principlealso on a circumferential wall of the delivery chamber. The inlet canhowever also be formed by another housing structure, for example thefirst housing structure, such that the second housing structure formsneither the inlet nor the outlet.

The second housing structure can be supported or mounted, preferably onor by the first housing structure, such that it can be translationallyor rotationally moved. An axial mobility, i.e. a mobility at leastsubstantially parallel to the rotational axis of the pump wheel, can forexample be considered as a translational mobility.

In preferred embodiments, the second housing structure is supported ormounted such that it can be tilted or pivoted. This reduces the dangerof the second housing structure twisting and therefore jamming, ascompared to a translational mobility. An ability to tilt and/or pivotcan be simply and—not least for this reason—preferably realised by forexample pressing the second housing structure in a loose pressurecontact against a supporting structure, such as for example the firsthousing structure. The pressing force for this can expediently begenerated by the pressing device. In such embodiments, the secondhousing structure can in particular be pressed into an axial pressurecontact with the supporting structure, preferably the first housingstructure. The second housing structure is tilted or pivoted away fromthe supporting structure, against the pressing force, by the fluidpressure acting in the delivery chamber, wherein however it remainslocal, on one side, in said pressure contact with the supportingstructure.

In the case of a translational mobility, which can be realised insteadof the ability to tilt, it is advantageous for reducing the danger oftwisting if the pressing force is applied to the second housingstructure in accordance with the pressure distribution in the deliverychamber. This can for example be realised by applying the pressing forceeccentrically in the region of the force which acts on the secondhousing structure due to the pressure in the delivery chamber. If thesecond housing structure is able to tilt and is supported in a loosepressure contact, it is at least in principle unnecessary to take intoaccount the pressure distribution in the interior of the deliverychamber. This also applies in principle in embodiments in which thesecond housing structure is mounted, such that it can be tilted, in arotary bearing consisting of a shaft and a socket. In such embodiments,the rotary bearing merely determines the leverage which the pressureforce which acts on the second housing structure in the delivery chamberhas for rotary mounting. If the second housing structure is supported ina loose pressure contact, such that it can be tilted or pivoted, thetilting or pivoting axis need not at least necessarily be defined inadvance. The pressing point through which the tilting or pivoting axisextends can be set in accordance with the pressure conditions in thedelivery chamber. More preferably, however, the location of the tiltingaxis or at least a restricted region in which the tilting or pivotingaxis extends is also predetermined by the design in such embodiments,for example by a guiding engagement in which the second housingstructure is guided relative to the first housing structure, within thebounds of its mobility.

The pressing device is preferably embodied such that it presses thesecond housing structure in the axial direction against a supportingstructure, wherein the supporting structure is preferably formed by thefirst housing structure, as already mentioned. If the second housingstructure is able to tilt and/or pivot, a tilting or pivoting axis aboutwhich the second housing structure tilts or pivots relative to the firsthousing structure preferably extends transverse to the rotational axisof the pump wheel; expediently, it extends orthogonally with respect tothe rotational axis in such embodiments.

In embodiments in which the second housing structure is supported ormounted such that it can be tilted or pivoted, a purely axial pressurecontact with a supporting structure, preferably the first housingstructure, is sufficient in order to define the tilting or pivoting axisprecisely enough for practical requirements. In developments, thesupporting structure—preferably, the first housing structure—and thesecond housing structure can jointly form a rotary mounting in the formof an open bearing socket and a bearing cam which is formed so as to fitthe bearing socket. The bearing socket can thus for example comprise acylindrical or spherical bearing area which advantageously extends overan angle of 180° or less around the tilting or pivoting axis thusformed. The bearing cam is formed so to be congruent with the bearingsocket. The bearing socket can advantageously be formed on thesupporting structure, but can also in principle be formed on the secondhousing structure instead. The bearing cam is correspondingly arrangedon the other structure in each case and expediently formed with it inone piece. The bearing socket can in particular be formed in a shoulderwhich faces the second housing structure and is jointly formed by anend-facing area and an internal area of the supporting structure whichfaces the rotational axis, in the region of an internal angle of theend-facing area and the internal area, so to speak.

In particular in embodiments in which the second housing structure formsa housing cover and the second chamber wall is correspondingly anend-facing wall of the delivery chamber, it can be advantageous if thesecond housing structure is secured relative to the first housingstructure against relative rotational movements about the rotationalaxis of the pump wheel. The second housing structure can in particularbe arranged such that it cannot be moved in the circumferentialdirection relative to the first housing structure, by means of a guidewhich extends axially and preferably radially. The guide is howeverembodied such that it allows the movement into the first position whichis required for adjusting the delivery volume. If the second housingstructure can be tilted or pivoted, then the guide is arranged in theregion of the tilting or pivoting axis or at least near to the tiltingor pivoting axis in advantageous embodiments. The tilting or pivotingaxis preferably extends through the guide.

The rotary pump can be embodied as a displacement pump or also as afluid-flow machine such as for example a centrifugal pump. Internal-axlepumps, such as for example internal toothed wheel pumps and vane cellpumps, but also for example external toothed wheel pumps can beconsidered for the displacement pumps.

One particularly preferred type of pump is the side channel pump. Inpreferred embodiments, the rotary pump correspondingly comprises one ormore side channel stages, i.e. one or more corresponding pump wheels. Inpreferred embodiments, the rotary pump is a single-stage pump. Inembodiments as a side channel pump, the rotary pump comprises at leastone pump wheel featuring pump wheel cells, for example an impeller, andaxially—i.e. laterally—facing this pump wheel, at least one side channelwhich extends in the circumferential direction around the rotationalaxis of the pump wheel, axially alongside the pump wheel. If the sidechannel pump only comprises one side channel, this side channel isconnected to the inlet of the rotary pump and, spaced in thecircumferential direction, to the outlet of the rotary pump. A sidechannel can also be respectively provided laterally to the left andright of the at least one pump wheel. If the side channel pump is amulti-stage pump and comprises a first pump wheel and at least oneother, second pump wheel, then only one side channel can be providedlaterally facing the first pump wheel or a side channel can be providedon each of its two sides and only one side channel can be providedlaterally facing the second pump wheel or a side channel can be providedon each of its two sides.

The pressing device can act mechanically, hydraulically, pneumaticallyor electrically. In preferred embodiments, the pressing force is anelastic restoring force, i.e. a spring force. In such embodiments, thepressing device correspondingly comprises one or more pneumatic orpreferably one or more mechanical springs. If the pressing force isgenerated by one or more mechanical springs, the one or more springs canin particular act as pressure springs in terms of their load. Thepressing force can however in principle be generated for example by oneor more tension springs instead. In terms of its/their design, the oneor more springs can each for example be a helical spring, a disc spring,a leaf spring or in particular a wave ring spring. The pressing devicecan also comprise a combination of differently designed springs. Inpreferred simple embodiments, in which the pressing device onlycomprises one spring and is preferably formed solely by such a spring,the spring is formed and arranged such that its spring axis coincideswith the rotational axis of the pump wheel. If the pressing devicecomprises a plurality of springs, the plurality of springs arepreferably arranged in a distribution around the rotational axis, andthe spring axes extend parallel to the rotational axis.

The rotary pump can in particular be used as a servo pump in combinationwith a primary pump, referred to in the following as a working pump, forexample for adjusting the delivery volume of the working pump. EP 2 489881 A2 discloses a particularly favourable combination of a workingpump, which can be adjusted in terms of its delivery volume, and a servopump which is embodied as a rotary pump. The rotary pump in accordancewith the invention can replace any of the rotary pumps disclosed in thissenior application, in order to fluidically adjust the working pump interms of its delivery volume. The working pump can advantageously be acoolant pump for a vehicle, in particular for a combustion engine of avehicle or for the heater and/or cooler of a vehicle. Reference is madeto EP 2 489 881 A2 in terms of advantageous combinations of a workingpump and servo rotary pumps.

The subject-matter of an aspect of the invention correspondinglyincludes a pump arrangement for supplying a unit, preferably a unit of acombustion engine, with a working fluid, wherein the pump arrangementcomprises a working pump for conveying the working fluid towards or awayfrom the unit, and a rotary pump in accordance with the invention. Theworking pump comprises: a working pump housing; a working pump wheel,which can be rotary-driven by a drive shaft, for conveying the workingfluid; and a setting structure which can be adjusted into differentpositions relative to the working pump housing by means of a controlfluid, in order to adjust a configuration of the working pump. Theadjustable configuration of the working pump is preferably such that theconfiguration is decisive for the delivery volume of the working pump.If the working pump is embodied as an internal toothed wheel pump, theadjustable working pump configuration can in particular be theeccentricity which exists between an externally toothed internal wheeland an internally toothed external wheel; if the working pump isembodied as vane cell pump, the adjustable working pump configurationcan in particular be the position of a setting ring which surrounds animpeller. If the working pump is embodied as a fluid-flow machine, forexample as the working pump of EP 2 489 881 A2, the adjustable workingpump configuration is preferably an adjustable flow geometry such as forexample a flow cross-section or flow profile on a flow path of theworking fluid, wherein this flow path comprises an inflow region of theworking pump wheel, the working pump wheel itself, and an outflow regionof the working pump wheel. Ways of adjusting the flow geometry for afluid-flow machine having a radial design are illustrated in EP 2 489881 A2.

Advantageous features are also described in the sub-claims andcombinations of them.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An example embodiment of the invention is described below on the basisof figures. Features disclosed by the example embodiment, eachindividually and in any combination of features, advantageously developthe subject-matter of the claims and also the embodiments describedabove. There is shown:

FIG. 1 a pump arrangement comprising a rotary pump which serves as aservo pump, in a first example embodiment;

FIG. 2 the pump arrangement in a longitudinal section;

FIG. 3 a central region of the pump arrangement, in a longitudinalsection;

FIG. 4 an optional pressure limiter of the pump arrangement;

FIG. 5 the pump arrangement in a first cross-section;

FIG. 6 the pump arrangement in a second cross-section;

FIG. 7 a pump arrangement comprising a rotary pump which serves as aservo pump, in a second example embodiment;

FIG. 8 the pump arrangement of the second example embodiment, in a viewonto the servo pump;

FIG. 9 a pump arrangement comprising a rotary pump which serves as aservo pump, in a third example embodiment;

FIG. 10 a first variant of a housing structure of the rotary pump of thethird example embodiment, which can be tilted away;

FIG. 11 a supporting region of the housing structure of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 a second variant of a housing structure of the rotary pump ofthe third example embodiment, which can be tilted away;

FIG. 13 a third variant of a housing structure of the rotary pump of thethird example embodiment, which can be tilted away; and

FIG. 14 the supporting region of the housing structure of FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a pump arrangement of a first example embodiment, in aperspective view. The pump arrangement can be used as a coolant pump fora combustion engine, preferably as a coolant pump for an internalcombustion engine of a motor vehicle, and is referred to as a whole inthe following as the coolant pump. It is a coolant pump having a radialdesign.

In a housing 1 of the coolant pump, a radial feed wheel 2 is mountedsuch that it can be rotated about a rotational axis R. The housing 1comprises assembly points for assembling it in the cooling cycle of thecombustion engine and preferably to the combustion engine. Whenassembled, the coolant pump is coupled to the combustion engine in orderto drive it, i.e. it can be rotary-driven by the combustion engine via asuitable transmission, for example a traction drive. A drive wheel 3 iscorrespondingly arranged on a drive side of the coolant pump, forexample a belt pulley as is usual, which however could also be replacedwith a sprocket in the case of a chain drive or with a toothed wheel foran optional toothed wheel drive instead of a traction drive. The drivewheel 3 is arranged coaxially with respect to the radial feed wheel 2and can thus be rotated about the same rotational axis R. The radialfeed wheel 2 is connected, fixedly in terms of torque, to the drivewheel 3. The two wheels 2 and 3 are for example respectively connected,secured against rotation, to a common drive shaft 4 which isrotary-mounted by the housing 1. When the pump is in operation, theradial feed wheel 2 delivers a coolant, preferably a liquid coolant,from a central inflow region 5—the suction side of the pump—into anoutflow region 6 which extends around the radial feed wheel 2 on theouter circumference. The radial feed wheel 2 is connected on the suctionside to a coolant reservoir via the inflow region 5 and on the pressureside to the combustion engine which is to be supplied with the coolantor to one or more other consumers, for example a heater, via the outflowregion 6.

In order to be able to adapt the coolant flow delivered by the radialfeed wheel 2 to the requirements of the combustion engine or anotheroptional consumer, the coolant pump can be adjusted in terms of itsdelivery flow. The delivery flow is adjusted by varying the flowgeometry, for example by varying the flow cross-section in thetransition from the radial feed wheel 2 to the outflow region 6 which,as is known from radial pumps, is formed by an annular channel orpartial annular channel of a removed part of the housing 1 not shown inFIG. 1. The annular channel or partial annular channel extends 360°completely around the radial feed wheel 2 on the outer circumference ofthe radial feed wheel 2 or at least partially around its circumference.A setting structure 10 which is formed as an annular slider, such aspreferably a split ring slider, and can be axially adjusted back andforth into different adjusting positions relative to the housing 1 andthe radial feed wheel 2 serves to vary the flow geometry. The settingstructure 10 together with the radial feed wheel 2 directly forms anannular gap which encompasses the radial feed wheel 2, i.e. it acts as asplit ring slider. The setting structure 10 can be adjusted back andforth between a first axial adjusting position and a second axialadjusting position. In FIG. 1, it assumes the first adjusting positionin which the transition cross-section from the radial feed wheel 2 tothe outflow region 6 is at a maximum. In the second adjusting position,this transition cross-section is at a minimum. In the first adjustingposition, the setting structure 10 for example releases the radial feedwheel 2 over its entire effective axial delivery width. In the secondadjusting position, it overlaps the effective delivery width of theradial feed wheel 2—as is preferred, but merely by way ofexample—completely. By means of the setting structure 10, it istherefore possible to adjust between a minimum delivery volume, whichfor example corresponds to a zero delivery, and a maximum deliveryvolume. The setting structure 10 can preferably be adjusted into anyintermediate position between the first adjusting position and thesecond adjusting position and set to the desired adjusting position,i.e. held in position.

In order to be able to adjust the delivery volume automatically, thecoolant pump comprises an actuator device featuring a control valve 7which—as is preferred, but merely by way of example—is formed as anelectromagnetically acting valve. Electrical energy and control signalscan be fed to the control valve 7 via a port 8. The control valve 7 canin particular be connected via the port 8 to a controller of thecombustion engine, for example an engine controller in the case of adrive motor of a motor vehicle, or a controller for a vehicle heater.

The setting structure 10 can be fluidically adjusted by means of acontrol fluid which is formed by the coolant to be delivered. For thispurpose, the setting structure 10 is coupled in the housing 1 to apiston to which a pressure of the control fluid is applied, controlledby the control valve 7. A control signal can be fed to the control valve7 via the port 8. The control signal can be generated as a function of ameasured temperature, in particular a temperature measured in thecooling circuit, such as for example a coolant temperature. Atemperature sensor can then be arranged at a representative point of thecooling circuit, preferably at each of a plurality of representativepoints, wherein the sensor output signal of the temperature sensor isfed to the controller which forms the control variable for the controlvalve 7 from the sensor signal or signals.

FIG. 2 shows the coolant pump in a longitudinal section. The drive shaft4 is sub-divided into functional axial portions 4 a to 4 e in therepresentation and is rotationally mounted in and by the housing 1 inthe shaft portion 4 d by means of a roll bearing. The radial feed wheel2 is connected, secured against rotation, to the drive shaft 4 in afront end portion 4 a. The drive wheel 3 is arranged in a rear shaftportion 4 e which faces axially away from the shaft portion 4 a, behindthe rotary bearing portion 4 d as viewed from the radial feed wheel 2,where it is connected, secured against rotation, to the shaft 4. Becausethe shaft 4 is rotary-mounted in a shaft portion axially between thesupport for the radial feed wheel 2 and the support for the drive wheel3, an axially short distance between the rotary mounting of the shaft 4and the radial feed wheel 2 is maintained and a bending moment which mayoccur during delivery action and which is to be absorbed in the portion4 d of the rotational mounting of the drive shaft 4 is reduced.

In order to generate the control fluid pressure required for adjustingthe setting structure 10, the coolant pump comprises an additional pump20 which is referred to in the following as the servo pump 20 in orderto distinguish it conceptually from the working pump which comprises theradial feed wheel 2, which is the actual coolant pump. The servo pump 20is a displacement-type rotary pump and is for example embodied as aninternal toothed wheel pump. It comprises an internal wheel 21 which isconnected, secured against rotation, to the shaft 4 and provided with anexternal toothing, and an internally toothed external wheel 22 whichsurrounds the internal wheel 21, which are in a delivery engagement,i.e. a toothed engagement, with each other in which they periodicallyform delivery cells which increase in size and decrease in size againcircumferentially around the rotational axis R when the shaft 4 isrotary-driven. The control fluid—in this case, the coolant—is suctionedby the delivery cells which increase in size, in the region in which thecells increase in size, i.e. the low-pressure side of the servo pump 20.The control fluid is expelled again at an increased pressure in theregion in which the cells decrease in size, i.e. the high-pressure sideof the servo pump 20. The servo pump 20 is connected to the controlvalve 7 on its high-pressure side via a pressure channel 31.

The control fluid region which extends from the exit of the servo pump20 as far as the control valve 7, i.e. which includes the pressurechannel 31, forms the high-pressure side of the servo pump 20. Thepressure of the control fluid on the high-pressure side is set using thecontrol valve 7. On this high-pressure side, the control fluid acts on apiston 15 which is guided such that it can be axially moved in thehousing 1 of the coolant pump and is coupled to the setting structure 10such that the setting structure 10 is shifted towards the adjustingposition which exhibits the maximum axial overlap of the radial feedwheel 2 when a corresponding control fluid pressure is applied to thepiston 15. The piston 15 is connected, axially fixed, to the settingstructure 10—as is preferred—such that the setting structure 10 simplyparticipates in the axial movement of the piston 15. A spring force isapplied to the setting structure 10 in the opposite axial direction by aspring device comprising springs 17 which are arranged in a uniformdistribution around the rotational axis R. The spring force thus actscounter to the control fluid pressure acting on the piston 15, restoringthe setting structure 10 towards the minimum-overlap adjusting positionwhich it assumes in FIG. 2.

The control valve 7 can for example be a manifold valve which can beswitched between different switching positions and blocks off thehigh-pressure side of the servo pump 20 in a first switching positionand short-circuits the high-pressure side of the servo pump 20 to thecoolant circuit in a second switching position and preferably connectsit to the pressure side of the coolant pump for this purpose. The servopump 20 is expediently configured such that even when the combustionengine is idling, the control fluid pressure generated by the servo pump20 is sufficient to adjust the setting structure 10 into themaximum-overlap adjusting position when the control valve 7 is situatedin the first switching position, i.e. the blocking position. If, as ispreferred, the maximum-overlap adjusting position corresponds to acomplete overlap, the radial feed wheel 2 delivers practically nocoolant. This enables the combustion engine to be heated quickly when itis started from cold. The power consumption of the coolant pump is alsoreduced.

If another unit—for example a motor vehicle heater, if the combustionengine is the drive motor of a vehicle—is also to be supplied with thecoolant delivered by the radial feed wheel 2, a diversion to such anadditional unit can be arranged downstream of the feed wheel 2, andanother control valve can be provided in order to optionally channel thecoolant to the combustion engine or to the other unit, which alsoincludes the scenario in which the coolant can be channelled to both thecombustion engine and the other unit simultaneously via such a controlvalve. In accordance with the requirements of an optional additionalunit, it can therefore also be advantageous if the setting structure 10does not axially overlap the radial feed wheel 2 completely on the outercircumference in the maximum-overlap adjusting position but rather onlyover an axial partial portion.

In simple embodiments, the control valve 7 can exhibit in total only thetwo switching positions mentioned and also always assume one of theseswitching positions. In such simple embodiments, the setting structure10 can be triggered such that the setting structure 10 can only assumeone of the two extreme positions, respectively, i.e. either themaximum-overlap adjusting position or the minimum-overlap adjustingposition. In one development, the control valve 7 can be configured toswitch back and forth between the two switching positions quickly enoughthat the setting structure 10 can also be set to any adjusting positionaxially between the two extreme positions. In yet other developments,the control valve 7 can be configured to set the pressure of the controlfluid continuously to a particular value and so set the settingstructure 10 to a particular position or to any desired position betweenthe maximum-overlap adjusting position and the minimum-overlap adjustingposition, in accordance with the equilibrium of force between thecontrol fluid pressure and the restoring spring force.

A pressure holding device 28, which prevents the control fluid frombeing able to flow back into the servo pump 20, is arranged between theservo pump 20 and the control valve 7. In a blocking position, thepressure holding device 28 blocks a flow cross-section against abackflow to the servo pump 20 but allows an outward flow towards thecontrol valve 7. It only opens when the pressure of the control fluid atan upstream inlet of the pressure holding device 28 near to the servopump 20 exceeds the pressure of the control fluid at a downstream outletof the pressure holding device 28 near to the control valve 7. A springforce into the blocking position is applied to the pressure holdingdevice 28, i.e. it assumes the blocking position at equal pressure. Thespring force acting in the blocking position is set such that thepressure holding device 28 opens towards the control valve 7 at leastwhen the combustion engine is idling and the pressure acting on thepiston 15 corresponds to the ambient pressure. The pressure holdingdevice 28 is embodied—as is preferred, but merely by way of example—as areflux valve.

When the control valve 7 is blocking, it is possible due to the pressureholding device 28 for the setting structure 10 to be held in themaximum-overlap adjusting position for a comparatively long period oftime after the combustion engine has been switched off, since thecontrol fluid is prevented from flowing back via the servo pump 20. If,as is preferred, the setting structure 10 closes and largely seals thetransition cross-section on the outer circumference of the radial feedwheel 2 in this adjusting position, the coolant can be held backupstream of the radial feed wheel 2 for longer—in accordance with thestrength of seal on the transition cross-section—than would be the caseif the pressure were quickly relieved on the high-pressure side of theservo pump 20. The combustion engine can cool down more slowly after ithas been switched off, and the cooling process can be consolidated.

The servo pump 20 and the pressure holding device 28, if the latter isprovided, are preferably configured such that the pressure generated bythe servo pump 20 when the combustion engine is idling is sufficient toadjust the setting structure 10 into the maximum-overlap adjustingposition. By correspondingly triggering the control valve 7, thispressure can be either maintained or reduced and the position of thesetting structure 10 can thus be set in accordance with requirements,even when the combustion engine is idling. This preferably also appliesto any other operational state of the combustion engine, as long as thecontrol fluid pressure generated by the servo pump 20 is sufficient toovercome the restoring spring force which acts on the setting structure10 towards the minimum-overlap position.

The control fluid pressure can be limited to a maximum value by means ofan optional pressure limiter 35 which is shown in FIG. 4, such that thecontrol fluid pressure cannot exceed this value even at high rotationalspeeds and a correspondingly high delivery volume of the servo pump 20.Limiting the control fluid pressure limits the force with which thesetting structure 10 can press against an axial abutment in themaximum-overlap adjusting position to a maximum value which follows fromthe control fluid pressure and the effective pressure area of the piston15. An inlet of the pressure limiter 35 is connected to the space inwhich the control fluid is applied to the piston 15. An outlet of thepressure limiter 35 channels the control fluid back into the main flowof the coolant which is delivered by the radial feed wheel 2. Thepressure limiter 35 is formed—as is preferred, but merely by way ofexample—as a reflux valve. The pressure limiter 35 is arranged offsetwith respect to the pressure holding device 28 in the circumferentialdirection around the rotational axis R. The longitudinal section shownin FIG. 4 is correspondingly offset in the circumferential directionwith respect to the longitudinal section of FIGS. 2 and 3.

The servo pump wheels 21 and 22 are accommodated in a servo pump housingof their own which comprises a first housing structure 23 and a secondhousing structure 24. The housing structure 23 rotatably mounts theexternal wheel 22 over its outer circumference in a sliding contact.Accommodating the servo pump wheels 21 and 22 in their own servo pumphousing 23, 24 facilitates assembling the pump arrangement, in that apre-assembled servo pump 20 can be installed. The servo pump housing 23,24 is arranged in the housing 1 of the working pump and/or coolant pump,a s is preferred, within the annular setting structure 10. The pressureholding device 28 and the pressure limiter 35 are likewise arranged inthe servo pump housing 23, 24.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged representation of the central region of thecoolant pump, in the same longitudinal section as FIG. 2. The centrallyarranged servo pump housing 23, 24 is covered by a supporting structure13 on its end-facing side which faces the radial feed wheel 2. Thesupporting structure 13 also simultaneously covers the housing 1 of thecoolant pump on the side in question. The housing structure 24 isarranged axially between the servo pump housing 23, 24 and thesupporting structure 13 and directly overlaps the housing structure 23,wherein the inlet 25 and the outlet 27 of the servo pump 20 are formedin the housing structure 24. A filter 26, for example a filter sieve,which holds back dirt particles is arranged in the inlet 25 in thehousing structure 24. When the drive shaft 4 rotates, the servo pump 20suctions coolant in through the inlet 25 from a point within thecentrifugal force field, for example on or near to the outercircumference of the radial feed wheel 2, or through one or moreperforations in the radial feed wheel 2, and expels the coolant at anincreased pressure through the outlet 27 as a control fluid. The outlet27 is connected to the pressure channel 31 via the pressure holdingdevice 28, and the pressure channel 31 is connected to the rear side ofthe piston 15 which faces away from the radial feed wheel 2. Thepressure holding device 28 assumes the blocking position in FIG. 3. Theservo pump 20 is at a stop, or if the control valve 7 is blocking, thepump speed has for example just been reduced.

The servo pump 20 is arranged in the shaft portion 4 b which is axiallyconnected to the shaft portion 4 a. A shaft seal 19, for example in theform of a sliding ring seal or a lip seal, which seals off the housing 1is arranged in the shaft portion 4 c between the housing structure 23and the shaft portion 4 d which forms the rotary mounting. As can alsobe seen not least from FIG. 3, the servo pump 20 which is embodied as arotary pump is advantageously axially narrow, which enables the radialfeed wheel 2 to be axially arranged particularly near to the rotarymounting formed in the shaft portion 4 d. Because of the embodiment asan internal toothed wheel pump, this axial distance can be keptparticularly small.

The setting structure 10 is axially guided along a guide 12 in a slidingguide contact. The guide 12 is a sleeve which is inserted into thehousing 1 and is—as is preferred, but merely by way of example—a steelsleeve. The guide 12 surrounds the servo pump housing 23, 24 and is forexample slid directly over the servo pump housing 23, 24. The guide 12is thus supported inwards on the servo pump housing 23, 24. It is alsosupported on the housing 1 by also being slid, preferably pressed, inthe housing 1 onto a free circumferential area of the housing 1. Thehousing 1 is preferably produced from an aluminium material and can inparticular be cast from aluminium or an aluminium-based alloy.

The setting structure 10 can in particular be a plastic structure, forexample an injection-moulded part made of a thermoplast. The piston 15is expediently formed from an elastomer or from natural rubber. Thepiston 15 is accommodated, such that it can be moved axially back andforth, in an annular cylinder space. The annular cylinder space islimited on the outside at 11 by an internal circumferential area of thehousing 1 and on the inside by the guide 12. Limiting the annularcylinder space using metal areas is favourable to the respectivetribological pairing with the piston 15. As already mentioned, thecontrol fluid is applied to a free side of the piston 15. The piston 15is arranged at an axial end of the setting structure 10, which facesaway from the radial feed wheel 2 as is preferred, and can be connectedto the setting structure 10, in particular fixedly, for example in amaterial fit. In principle, however, the piston 15 can also be in apressure contact only with the setting structure 10 in the direction inwhich the control fluid is applied to it. As mentioned, a plurality ofsprings 17 which are arranged in a distribution around the rotationalaxis R act counter to the pressure of the control fluid and arerespectively supported at one end on the lid 13 and at the other end ona spring seating 18 which is formed on the setting structure 10. Thesprings 17 are for example embodied as helical pressure springs. Theyare arranged in an annular space which is limited radially on the insideby the guide 12 and radially on the outside by the setting structure 10.

In its guide contact with the guide 12, the setting structure 10 issupported on the guide 12 by means of a stay mounting which is formed byaxially extending stays 16. The stays 16 are formed on an internalcircumference of the setting structure 10 which radially faces the guide12.

FIG. 5 shows the coolant pump in a cross-section, axially level with theservo pump wheels 21 and 22. The shaft 4, the internal wheel 21 which isarranged, secured against rotation, on the shaft 4, the external wheel22 which is in delivery engagement with the internal wheel 21, the servopump housing 23, 24 and the guide 12 which surrounds the pump housing23, 24 can be seen radially from the inside to the outside. Theaccommodating space which is formed in the servo pump housing 23 inorder to form the pressure limiter 35, and a connecting channel 30 whichis connected to the outlet 27 of the servo pump 20 via the housingstructure 24 and the supporting structure 13 (FIG. 3) and to thepressure channel 31 leading to the control valve 7 and in which thepressure holding device 28 is formed, can also be seen. Anotherconnecting channel 33 is connected to a relieving channel 32. Therelieving channel 32 is connected to the control valve 7. The relievingchannel 32 leads from the control valve 7 back into the coolant cyclevia the connecting channel 33. In one of its switching positions, thecontrol valve 7 connects the pressure channel 31 to the relievingchannel 32, such that only a comparatively low pressure is applied tothe piston 15 (FIG. 3) and the setting structure 10 is held in theminimum-overlap adjusting position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 by the forceof the springs 17.

The axial stays 16 which are formed on the internal circumference of thesetting structure 10 and released by recesses on the internalcircumference which are respectively adjacent in the circumferentialdirection, wherein said stays ensure a clean axial guide for the settingstructure 10, can also be seen in FIG. 5. The setting structure 10 isguided, secured against rotation, relative to the housing 1 of thecoolant pump by means of rod-shaped rotational blocks 14 which protrudeinto corresponding complementary guides on the setting structure 10. Oneof the rotational blocks 14 can also be seen in FIG. 3. The rotationalblocks 14 project axially from the rear side of the supporting structure13. Lastly, the support points on the setting structure 10 for thesprings 17, i.e. the spring seatings 18, can also be seen in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 shows the coolant pump again, in another cross-section axiallylevel with the rotary mounting formed in the shaft portion 4 d. Thecross-sectional plane extends along the pressure channel 31 and therelieving channel 32. It should also be added with respect to the rotarymounting that the latter is formed by at least two bearing grooves whichare axially spaced from each other and by roll bodies which are arrangedin the bearing grooves around the rotational axis R and by a bearingsleeve 9 which encloses the roll bodies on the outside. The bearinggrooves are formed directly on the outer circumference of the driveshaft 4. The bearing sleeve 9 is pressed into the housing 1. The driveshaft 4, the roll bearing and/or plurality of roll bearings which areaxially spaced from each other and the bearing sleeve 9 together form adesign unit which is inserted into the housing 1 when the coolant pumpis assembled.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a pump arrangement of a second example embodimentwhich comprises a rotary-type servo pump 40, which is formed as a sidechannel pump, instead of the servo pump 20. The servo pump 40 is amulti-stage pump, for example a two-stage pump, wherein the pump stagesare connected in series in order to achieve a high delivery pressure.The pump arrangement also differs from the first example embodiment inthe way in which the working fluid is fed to the servo pump 40. The pumparrangement can in particular be used as a coolant pump, as in the firstexample embodiment, and is likewise referred to in the following simplyas the coolant pump. When it is used in this way, the working fluid iscorrespondingly a coolant.

In the centrifugal force field generated by the radial feed wheel 2, thecoolant is diverted from the main flow as early as the inflow region 5of the coolant pump, centrally via a port 38 which is formed there, andguided through the drive shaft 4 to the servo pump 40. The port 38 isformed by at least one inlet opening which ports on the outercircumference of the drive shaft 4. The port 38 is preferably formedjointly by a plurality of inlet openings which are spaced from eachother in the circumferential direction. The coolant suctioned by theservo pump 40 flows through the port 38 into and axially through thedrive shaft 4 to an outlet 39 which likewise ports on the outercircumference of the drive shaft 4, and flows through the outlet 39 intoa fluid space 45 which is connected to an inlet of the servo pump 40which cannot be seen in the figures. The outlet 39 can also comprise aplurality of such outlet openings. Due to the diversion being central inthe centrifugal force field, additionally aided by the fact that theport 38 ports into the centrifugal force field on an outercircumferential area which extends at least substantially axially, onlycoolant which has been depleted of dirt particles due to the effect ofthe centrifugal force reaches the servo pump 40.

The servo pump 40 comprises a first servo pump wheel 41 and a secondservo pump wheel 42. The pump wheels 41 and 42 are themselves identical,which is expedient but not necessarily required. The pump wheels arecell wheels, each comprising a central region, a circumferentialexternal ring and an annular region which is situated between thecentral region and the external ring and is sub-divided into axiallypermeable delivery cells 43 by cell stays, as can be seen from anoverview of FIGS. 7 and 8, wherein the delivery cells 43 are separatedfrom each other in the circumferential direction by the cell stays. Theservo pump wheels 41 and 42 can also be formed as impellers which areopen on the outside, by omitting an external ring which surrounds thedelivery cells 43 radially on the outside.

Side channels are formed alongside the servo pump wheels 41 and 42 inthe servo pump housing 23, 24 and each extend in the circumferentialdirection and radially level with the delivery cells 43 over an angle ofless than 360°. Thus, a first side channel 46 and a second side channel47 each extend alongside the first pump wheel 41, one on the left andthe other on the right alongside it, and a third side channel 48 and afourth side channel 49 each extend alongside the second pump wheel 42,one on the left and the other on the right alongside the pump wheel 42.Each of the side channels 46 to 49 is formed in the housing 23, 24 as arecess which is axially open towards the delivery cells 43 of theassigned pump wheel 41 or 42, such that the fluid—in this case, thecoolant—can flow back and forth between the delivery cells 43 and theside channels 46, 47 and 48, 49 of the respective pump wheel 41 or 42,in order to achieve the increase in pressure which is known from sidechannel pumps and is based on impulse transmission in multipletransitions between the delivery cells 43 and the respective sidechannel. The first side channel 46 is connected to the fluid space 45via the inlet of the servo pump 40. The second side channel 47 isconnected to the third side channel 48, and the fourth side channel isconnected to the outlet 28 of the servo pump 40. When rotary-driven, theservo pump 40 suctions the coolant from the fluid space 45 into the sidechannel 46 via the inlet of the servo pump 40 and thus into the firstpump stage formed by the pump wheel 41 and the side channels 46 and 47.The suctioned coolant is delivered at an increased pressure through aninternal outlet of the second side channel 47 to an internal inlet ofthe third side channel 48 and discharged in the second pump stage formedby the pump wheel 42 and the side channels 48 and 49, with a furtherincrease in pressure, through the servo pump outlet 28 towards thepressure holding device 28.

The example embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 combines a side channel pumpwith cleaning the coolant using a centrifugal force. This way ofcleaning the coolant can instead also be combined with any other type ofservo pump in accordance with the invention, for example the servo pump20 of the first example embodiment. Instead of cleaning exclusively onthe basis of a centrifugal force as in the second example embodiment,any of the arrangements which clean using filter material and consist ofa filter or a filter and an assigned cleaning device can equally becombined with a single-stage or multi-stage side channel pump, tomention only some of the possible variations.

FIG. 9 shows a pump arrangement which, like the other exampleembodiments, can in particular be used as a coolant pump. The pumparrangement comprises a radial feed wheel 2 and a setting structure 10which co-operate in order to adjust the delivery volume of the coolantpump, as described in the other example embodiments. The pumparrangement also comprises a rotary-type servo pump 50 which, as also inthe other example embodiments, serves to generate control fluidpressure, required for adjusting the adjusting structure 10, for thecontrol valve 7 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which is not shown in FIG. 9.

The servo pump 50 is a single-stage side channel pump comprising onlyone servo pump wheel 51 which can correspond to the servo pump wheel 41of the second example embodiment. The servo pump 50 comprises a servopump housing comprising the first housing structure 23 and the secondhousing structure 24. The housing structures 23 and 24 jointly limit adelivery chamber in which the servo pump wheel 51 is accommodated suchthat it can be rotated about the rotational axis R. As in the otherexample embodiments, the servo pump wheel 51 is connected, rotationallyfixed, to the drive shaft 4 in the shaft portion 4 b and is thusarranged coaxially with respect to the radial feed wheel 2. Aside fromdifferences in the number of stages, the mode of operation correspondsto that of the second example embodiment. When the pump isrotary-driven, the control fluid—which in the third example embodimentis also formed by the working fluid of the main and/or working pump—issuctioned into a low-pressure region of the delivery chamber 52 via aservo pump inlet 55. The inlet 55 extends through the housing structure24 and ports in the low-pressure region of the delivery chamber 52 intoside channel 56 which is formed on the housing structure 24 facing theservo pump wheel 51. A side channel 57 facing opposite the side channel56 is formed in the housing structure 23, wherein an outlet 58 portsinto the side channel 57 in a high pressure region of the deliverychamber 52, offset in the rotational direction with respect to the inlet55. A rotational movement of the servo pump wheel 51 delivers the fluidsuctioned through the inlet 55 to the outlet 58, with an increase inpressure, by impulse transmission between the delivery cells 53 of theservo pump wheel 51 and the laterally adjoining side channels 56 and 57.The fluid flows from the outlet 58, via the pressure holding device 28already described, into the pressure channel 31 and the pressure space,connected to it, on the rear side of the piston 15. When the controlvalve 7 is closed, a corresponding fluid pressure is built up in thepressure space, such that the piston 15 and together with it the settingstructure 10 are adjusted into the second adjusting position shown inFIG. 9 and held in the second adjusting position. If the control valveopens, the fluid delivered by the servo pump 50 can flow off and thesetting structure 10 is moved towards its first adjusting position bythe action of the restoring spring 17.

The delivery volume of the servo pump 50 increases with the rotationalspeed of the servo pump wheel 51. If the servo pump 50 is to provide afluid pressure which is sufficient for adjusting the setting structure10 even at comparatively low rotational speeds of the drive shaft 4, theproblem can arise at higher rotational speeds that the servo pump 50delivers a volume flow which cannot instantaneously flow off when thecontrol valve 7 opens (FIGS. 1 and 2) but rather only gradually. In suchsituations, the setting structure 10 remains in the second adjustingposition—which also corresponds to the minimum delivery volume state ofthe coolant pump in the third example embodiment—for longer thandesired, despite the control valve 7 being open.

In order to resolve the conflict between the desire for the settingstructure 10 to be adjustable in the lower rotational speed range andthe desire for a short response time in the upper rotational speedrange, the servo pump 50 is also adjustable in terms of its deliveryvolume. In order to be able to adjust the delivery volume, the secondhousing structure 24 is arranged such that it can be moved back andforth relative to the first housing structure 23 between a firstposition and a second position. If the housing structure 24 assumes thefirst position, the delivery chamber 52 is closed off in a fluid seal,aside from the inlet 55, the outlet 58 and unavoidable leaks on theend-facing sides of the pump wheel 51. The first position can thereforealso be referred to as a closing position. In the second position, thehousing structure 24 is retracted from and/or raised off of the firsthousing structure 23, such that a gap exists between a first chamberwall formed by the housing structure 23 and a second chamber wall formedby the housing structure 24, wherein fluid can escape from the deliverychamber 52 to the outside through the gap by bypassing the inlet 55 andthe outlet 58. In FIG. 9, the second housing structure 24 assumes thefirst position from which it can be moved towards the second position inorder to form the gap. The movement towards the second position can beperformed continuously, i.e. in accordance with the pressure in thedelivery chamber 52, and the gap width can thus be enlargedcontinuously. The movement can however instead also be performedabruptly when a particular internal pressure is exceeded. The gap, whichdoes not exist in the first position shown, is indicated by “S”.

The housing structure 24 is held in the first position by a pressingforce. The pressing force is generated by a pressing device 60 whichacts—as is preferred, but merely by way of example—directly on thesecond housing structure 24. The pressing device 60 is formed by apressure spring which is embodied as a wave ring spring. A helicalspring or disc spring and in principle any other suitable spring couldalso be used instead of a wave ring spring. It is preferably arranged asa pressure spring. A tension spring could however also for example beprovided instead of a pressure spring, in order to press the housingstructure 24 into the first position.

The pressing device 60 acts axially on the housing structure 24. Thepressing device 60 is axially supported directly on the housingstructure 24 and on a supporting structure 61 which faces axiallyopposite the housing structure 24. It is arranged coaxially with respectto the rotational axis R and circumferentially around the rotationalaxis R, such that the spring axis coincides with the rotational axis R.The pressing device 60 is preferably arranged with a biasing forcebetween the housing structure 24 and the axially opposite supportingstructure 61. If a pressure force which acts on the housing structure 24due to the fluid pressure in the delivery chamber 52 exceeds the biasingforce of the pressing device 60, the housing structure 24 begins to movetowards the second position, which reduces the delivery volume of theservo pump 50 at a given rotational speed of the servo pump wheel 51.

In the third example embodiment, the setting structure 10 is axiallyguided directly by the housing structure 23. The sleeve which is used asthe guide 12 in the other example embodiments has been omitted. Thepiston 15 is arranged such that it can be moved in an annular spacewhich is correspondingly formed directly by the housing 1 of the workingpump and the housing structure 23. In order to improve the guide for thesetting structure 10 and/or to guide the setting structure 10 morestably, the housing structure 23 comprises a guiding portion 29 whichextends up to near the rear side of the radial feed wheel 2 and whichadditionally also supports the restoring spring 17 which acts on thesetting structure 10. The supporting structure 61 is fixedly joined tothe housing structure 23 in the region of the guiding portion 29, bymeans of a pressing connection in the example embodiment.

Unlike the two other example embodiments, the second housing structure24 also does not serve as a support for the pressure holding device 28.The pressure holding device 28 is accommodated and supported in thefirst housing structure 23. In one modification, some of the supportingfunction of the housing structure 23 could be fulfilled by the housing 1of the working and/or coolant pump. The design of the servo pump 50 issimplified by relieving the movable housing structure 24 of functionswith regard to the pressure holding device 28.

In order to adjust the delivery volume of the servo pump 50, the housingstructure 24 can be arranged such that it can be moved translationally,in particular axially. It can for example be axially guided on the driveshaft 4. It can however also be axially guided on an internal area ofthe first housing structure 23 which faces the rotational axis R, inparticular a circumferential internal area of the housing structure 23which is circumferential around the rotational axis R, or instead alsoon an external area of the housing structure 23 which extends around therotational axis R, in particular a circumferential external area of thehousing structure 23 which is circumferential around the rotational axisR. In the example embodiment, however, the housing structure 24 ispreferably arranged such that it can be tilted, i.e. can be tilted awayfrom the housing structure 23 about a tilting axis, forming the gapmentioned.

FIGS. 10 and 11 each show a contact region of the housing structures 23and 24, in an enlarged representation as compared to FIG. 9. FIG. 11shows the supporting region in which the housing structure 24 issupported on the first housing structure 23, forming the tilting axis T,when it is tilted away, i.e. when it assumes the second position. FIG.10 shows the region which is opposite across the rotational axis R andin which the housing structure 24 is raised off of the housing structure23, forming the gap G, when it is moved from the first position, whichis still shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, towards the second position. In thefirst position shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, an end-facing area 24 a of thehousing structure 24 abuts an end-facing area 23 a of the housingstructure 23 which faces it, in a seal circumferentially around therotational axis R, and is pressed into a pressure contact, in a sealcircumferentially around the rotational axis R, by the pressing device60.

The housing structure 24 is connected, such that it cannot berotationally moved about the rotational axis R, to the housing structure23, so that the position of the inlet 55, which leads through thehousing structure 24, cannot be altered in the circumferential directionduring the adjusting movements of the housing structure 24. For thispurpose, the housing structure 24 is guided, within the bounds of itsmobility, by means of a guide 62. The guide 62 extends axially and ispreferably joined fixedly to the housing structure 23. In the exampleembodiment, a parallel key forms the guide 62. In a supporting regionwhich includes the tilting axis T, the guide 62 protrudes axiallyinwards towards the rotational axis R. The supporting region of thehousing structure 24 comprises a cavity, for example a narrow, axiallyextending gap, with which the guide 62 engages in the guiding engagementwith the housing structure 24. The guide 62 co-operates with the housingstructure 24 in the manner of a tongue-and-groove guide, wherein thegeometry could also be reversed, in that the “tongue” could be providedon the housing structure 24 and the “groove” on the housing structure23. In any event, the housing structure 24 is secured in terms of itsrotational angular position relative to the housing structure 23 in theguiding engagement by means of the guide 62, and the mobility requiredfor adjusting the delivery volume is enabled.

One advantage of the housing structure 24 being able to tilt, ascompared to being able to move axially, is that the danger of thehousing structure 24 twisting and therefore jamming can be avoided or atleast reduced. If it is able to move axially, a certain danger wouldexist in this respect because of the required axial guide. The pressureforce exerted on the housing structure 24 by the working fluid acts onthe housing structure 24, i.e. with an eccentricity with respect to therotational axis R, such that for a tilt-free axial guide, the pressingforce would likewise have to correspondingly act on the housingstructure 24 eccentrically rather than concentrically with respect tothe rotational axis R. An ability to tilt does not however cause adanger of twisting.

In the example embodiment, a circumferential internal area 23 b of thehousing structure 23 surrounds the housing structure 24. Thecircumferential internal area 23 b does not however fulfil any mountingor guiding function for the housing structure 24. As already described,the housing structure 24 is instead supported only on the end-facingarea 23 a of the housing structure 23 which faces it. Because of theconditions of restricted space, the circumferential internal area 23 blies opposite a circumferential external area 24 b of the housingstructure 24 at a very small distance. In order to further reduce thedanger of twisting, the circumferential external area 24 b of thehousing structure 24 is circumferentially provided with a chamfer, ascan be seen in FIG. 10, such that the circumferential external area 24 btransitions into the end-facing area 24 a via the chamfer. The clearanceprovided by the chamfer is sufficient to enable the requiredshort-stroke tilting movement within the bounds of usual gap tolerances,without twisting.

FIG. 12 shows the tilting region of FIG. 10, with a modification whichis that the housing structure 23 initially comprises a shorthollow-cylindrical portion directly following the end-facing area 23 a,which is then followed by a widened portion as in FIGS. 9 to 11.

FIG. 13 shows the tilting region again, in another modification in whichon the one hand the circumferential internal area 23 b which liesradially opposite the housing structure 24 is formed cylindrically overalmost the axial length of the housing structure 24, and on the otherhand, the housing structure 24 is formed convexly at its circumferentialexternal area. The supporting region for this variant is shown in FIG.14, with the housing structure 24 in the second position, i.e. theposition tilted away. The gap G is drawn with an exaggerated width,merely for the purposes of illustration; it is actually sufficient ifthe gap G in the second position measures only a tenth or a few tenthsof a millimeter or even less than a tenth of a millimeter in the tiltingregion which lies opposite the tilting axis T as viewed across therotational axis R.

It should also be added with respect to the third example embodimentthat the pump arrangement comprises a filter device, which is againmodified, for cleaning the working fluid which flows to the servo pump50. The filter device comprises a stationary filter 36 which is arrangedon the supporting structure 61 and is for example joined by beingadhered or fused. Unlike the coolant pump of FIGS. 1 to 6, however, thefilter 36 is assigned a cleaning device 37 which mechanically cleans thefilter 36 when the drive shaft 4 rotates.

The cleaning device 37 is formed by a scraper which is connected, suchthat it cannot be rotated, to the drive shaft 4 and arranged upstream,i.e. in front of the filter 36, as viewed in the direction of flow tothe servo pump 50. The cleaning device 37 is slid onto the drive shaft4, into a positive-fit engagement with the shaft portion 4 b, whichprovides the rotationally fixed connection. When the drive shaft 4rotates, the cleaning device 37 sweeps over the front side of the filter36 which faces it and scrapes off dirt particles during this relativerotation. The cleaning device 37 is formed—as is preferred, but merelyby way of example—as an impeller comprising a plurality of projectingvanes. Each of the vanes can act as a scraper. In modifications, thefilter 36 can be mechanically cleaned using a cleaning device which actsas a brush instead of the scraping cleaning device 37, or by acombination of scraping and brushing, for example by either forming thevanes as brushes or by forming at least one of the vanes as a brush andat least one of the other vanes as a scraper. The scraping action can beperformed either purely mechanically, i.e. only through contact, orpurely fluidically or also mechanically and fluidically. There ispreferably no direct contact between the scraper and/or cleaning device37 and the facing surface of the filter, but rather a small distance.The cleaning device 37 thus sweeps over the facing surface of the filterat a very small distance and can only then have contact with adheringdirt particles and so sweep them off the surface of the filter, whereinthe distance from the surface of the filter would be within the sizerange of the dirt particles. The scraping action can also be fluidic, inthat the relative rotational movement of the cleaning device 37generates a rotating flow on the facing surface of the filter, and theadhering dirt particles are taken up by this flow, i.e. fluidically, andremoved from the surface of the filter either in this way alone oradditionally due to particle contact.

Aside from the differences described, the pump arrangement of the thirdexample embodiment corresponds to that of the first example embodiment.

In the first example embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 6), the housing structure 24can likewise be arranged such that it can be moved between a firstposition and a second position, in order to be able to adjust thedelivery volume of the servo pump 20 as described on the basis of thethird example embodiment. The housing structure 24 of the first exampleembodiment can in particular, like the housing structure 24 of the thirdexample embodiment, be mounted such that it can be tilted, against apressing force. However, a pressing device corresponding to the pressingdevice 60 must likewise be arranged between the housing structure 24 andthe supporting structure 13 (FIG. 3 for example). It would also beadvantageous if the pressure holding device 28 of the first exampleembodiment is axially supported directly on the housing structure 23rather than on the housing structure 24. A certain disadvantage is alsopresented by the fact that the outlet 27 leads through the housingstructure 24 of the first example embodiment, which can require thearrangement of a flexible fluid connection. In order to circumvent this,the housing structure 24 can be assembled from at least two partialstructures, i.e. a first partial structure through which the outlet 27extends and which can also support the pressure holding device 28, and asecond partial structure which can be moved relative to the firstpartial structure and the first housing structure 23 and which forms thesecond housing structure of the claims in such modifications.

The servo pump 40 of the second example embodiment can also be modifiedin the way described with respect to the first example embodiment, inorder to be able to adjust the servo pump 40 in terms of its deliveryvolume.

In yet other modifications, a movable housing structure can be providedon the end-facing wall of the housing structure 23 which lies axiallyopposite the respective housing structure 24 in the embodiments of FIGS.1 to 8, where it can form the end-facing wall of the delivery chamber ora part of the end-facing wall of the respective delivery chamber and canbe able to be moved as described on the basis of the movable housingstructure 24.

If the servo pump 20, 40 or 50 is adjustable in terms of its deliveryvolume, it is for example possible to omit the pressure limiter 35 (FIG.4) described with respect to the first example embodiment. In principle,however, such a pressure limiter 35 can also be provided in a servo pump20, 40 or 50 which is adjustable in terms of its delivery volume.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed herein, it will be understood that such embodiments areprovided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes andsubstitutions will occur to those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that theappended claims cover all such variations as fall within the spirit andscope of the invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS

-   1 housing-   2 radial feed wheel-   3 drive wheel-   4 drive shaft-   4 a-e shaft portions-   5 inflow region-   6 outflow region-   7 control valve-   8 port-   9 bearing sleeve-   10 setting structure, annular slider-   11 housing support-   12 guide, guiding sleeve-   13 supporting structure, cover-   14 rotational block-   15 piston, seal-   16 guiding stay-   17 restoring spring-   18 spring seating, spring guide-   19 seal-   20 servo pump-   21 servo pump wheel, internal wheel-   22 servo pump wheel, external wheel-   23 servo pump housing, housing structure-   23 a end-facing area-   23 b internal area-   23 b housing structure, housing cover-   24 a end-facing area-   24 b external area-   25 inlet-   26 filter-   27 outlet-   28 pressure holding device-   29 guide-   30 connecting channel-   31 pressure channel-   32 relieving channel-   33 connecting channel-   34 --   35 pressure limiter-   36 filter-   37 cleaning device-   38 port, inlet-   39 outlet-   40 servo pump-   41 servo pump wheel, cell wheel-   42 servo pump wheel, cell wheel-   43 delivery cells-   44 --   45 fluid space-   46 side channel-   47 side channel-   48 side channel-   49 side channel-   50 servo pump-   51 servo pump wheel, cell wheel-   52 delivery chamber-   53 delivery cells-   54 --   55 inlet-   56 side channel-   57 side channel-   58 outlet-   59 --   60 pressing device-   61 supporting structure-   62 guide-   T tilting axis-   R rotational axis-   G gap

The invention claimed is:
 1. A rotary pump exhibiting an adjustabledelivery volume, comprising: a housing including a first housingstructure and a second housing structure; a delivery chamber comprisinga first chamber wall formed by the first housing structure, a secondchamber wall formed by the second housing structure, an inlet for afluid in a low-pressure region and an outlet for the fluid in a highpressure region; a pump wheel which can be rotated in the deliverychamber about a rotational axis (R); and a pressing device forgenerating a pressing force, wherein the second housing structure can bemoved relative to the first housing structure from a first position intoa second position, against the pressing force, and in the secondposition, a gap (G) exists between the first chamber wall and the secondchamber wall, wherein fluid can escape from the delivery chamber bybypassing the inlet and the outlet, and wherein in the first position,the second housing structure abuts the first housing structure and formsa seal therewith.
 2. The rotary pump according to claim 1, wherein thesecond chamber wall is an end-facing wall or a region of an end-facingwall of the delivery chamber.
 3. The rotary pump according to claim 1,wherein the second housing structure is a housing cover which closes offthe delivery chamber on one end-facing side.
 4. The rotary pumpaccording to claim 1, wherein the second chamber wall limits thelow-pressure region.
 5. The rotary pump according to claim 4, whereinthe inlet ports into the delivery chamber in the second chamber wall. 6.The rotary pump according to claim 1, wherein the second housingstructure can be tilted or pivoted relative to the first housingstructure into the open position.
 7. The rotary pump according to claim6, wherein a tilting or pivoting axis (T) of the second housingstructure extends transverse to the rotational axis (R).
 8. The rotarypump according to claim 7, wherein the tilting or pivoting axis (T) ofthe second housing structure extends in the vicinity of the guide orthrough the guide.
 9. The rotary pump according to claim 1, wherein thepressing device presses the second housing structure against the firsthousing structure in the axial direction.
 10. The rotary pump accordingto claim 1, wherein the first housing structure comprises an end-facingarea on a side which axially faces the second housing structure, andeither an internal area which points towards the rotational axis (R) andforms an internal angle with the end-facing area or an external areawhich points away from the rotational axis (R) and forms an externalangle with the end-facing area, and wherein the second housing structureabuts the end-facing area or either the internal area or the externalarea and can be tilted into the second position about a tilting axis (T)formed in the pressure contact.
 11. The rotary pump according to claim1, wherein the second housing structure is guided, such that it cannotbe rotated about the rotational axis (R), relative to the first housingstructure.
 12. The rotary pump according to claim 11, wherein the secondhousing structure is guided by an axial guide which is joined to thefirst housing structure in a positive fit, a frictional fit or amaterial fit and formed on the first housing structure.
 13. The rotarypump according to claim 12, wherein the tilting or pivoting axis (T) ofthe second housing structure (24) extends in the vicinity of the guideor through the guide.
 14. The rotary pump according to claim 13, whereinthe tilting or pivoting axis extends transverse to a guiding device ofthe guide.
 15. The rotary pump according to claim 1, wherein the rotarypump comprises one or more side channel stages.
 16. The rotary pumpaccording to claim 1, wherein the rotary pump is a side channel pump.17. The rotary pump according to claim 1, wherein the pressing devicecomprises or is formed by a mechanical spring.
 18. The rotary pumpaccording to claim 17, wherein the spring is a wave ring spring, ahelical spring, a disc spring or a leaf spring.
 19. The rotary pumpaccording to claim 17, wherein the spring is pressurised.
 20. A pumparrangement for supplying a unit, wherein the pump arrangement comprisesa working pump for conveying the working fluid towards or away from theunit, and a rotary pump according to claim 1, wherein the working pumpcomprises: a working pump housing; a drive shaft for rotary-driving theworking pump, by the combustion engine and in a fixed rotational speedrelationship to it; a working pump wheel, which can be rotary-driven bythe drive shaft and is connected, rotationally fixed, to the driveshaft, for conveying the working fluid; a setting structure which can beadjusted into different positions relative to the working pump housingby a control fluid, in order to adjust a working pump configurationwhich influences the delivery volume of the working pump at a givenrotational speed; and a control valve for setting a pressure or volumeflow of the control fluid formed by the working fluid, which determinesthe position of the setting structure, and wherein the rotary pump isprovided for delivering the control fluid to the control valve and ispreferably arranged at least partially in the working pump housing. 21.The pump arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the pump wheel ofthe rotary pump can be rotary-driven by the drive shaft.
 22. Thearrangement according to claim 21, wherein the pump wheel is connected,rotationally fixed, to the drive shaft.
 23. The pump arrangementaccording to claim 20, wherein the working pump wheel is a radial feedwheel for conveying the working fluid from a radially internal inflowregion into a radially more external outflow region and in that the pumpconfiguration which can be adjusted by the setting structure is anadjustable flow geometry.
 24. The pump arrangement according to claim23, wherein the adjustable flow geometry is a fluid cross-section orflow profile on the flow path of the working fluid which comprises theinflow region, the working pump wheel and the outflow region.
 25. Thepump arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the pump arrangement isa coolant pump for a combustion engine.
 26. The pump arrangementaccording to claim 20, wherein the pump arrangement supplies a unit of acombustion engine with the working fluid.